The Virginia Surpreme Court threw a constitutional blow at ‘Citizens Against Unfair Tolls’ and their attorney - Patrick McSweeney

(BMLTV) Attorney, Patrick McSweeney (left) Senator Kenneth Cooper Alexander of Virginia (right)  seen leaving Portmouth Circuit Court after filing the lawsuit  July 12, 2012 to stop the potential  tolling of the Downtown and Midtown tunnels.  On Thursday, October 30, 2013 the Virginia  Supreme Court says tunnel tolls are constitutional and are a go ahead.
Photo: abhi ahmadadeen/BMLTV©

Sandy One Year Later: AARP details the good, the bad & the ugly in New York and Long Island

Survey shows post-Sandy pains, problems and promise of the 50+ population hit by the superstorm

(PRN/USN) NEW YORK, October. 31, 2013  - This month marks the 1 year anniversary of Sandy, AARP New York is re-releasing a survey of 50+ New York City and Long Island residents, detailing their experiences, pains and struggles. From power outages and storm damage to how their utility companies and elected officials handled it all, to their ability to rise above it all and volunteer to help others, the survey took a deep dive into the lives of some of those most impacted by Sandy.

Treat gun violence as a public health problem says physicians

(PRN) HARRISBURG, Pa., October 30, 2013 - Gun violence is a significant public health problem, according to members of the Pennsylvania Medical Society, and research should be conducted to better understand its sources and causes from a medical perspective so that it can be properly addressed.

United Nations top official outraged over the murder of Somali Journalist

(PRN/ Africa)  NEW YORK, October 30,  2013 - The head of the United Nations agency tasked with defending press freedom today denounced the murder of Somali television journalist Mohamed Mohamud, who was gunned down in the capital, Mogadishu.

“I deplore the murder of Mohamed Mohamud,” said the Director-General of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization UNESCO, Irina Bokova. “His name joins the long list of Somali media professionals who have paid with their lives to defend the right to information. Such acts must not remain unpunished.”

Mr. Mohamud, 26, was also known as Tima'ade. He worked for Universal TV, a private television channel based in the United Kingdom that serves Somali diaspora. He was shot six times by unknown assailants near his home in the district of Wadajir, on October 26.

“Freedom of expression is the cornerstone of democratic society. I call on the authorities to do everything possible to ensure that journalists can work in the safest possible conditions,” Ms. Bokova said.

New Mexico is declared a disaster by the President

(BMLTV) WASHINGTON, D.C. October 29, 2030 - The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency announced that federal disaster aid has been made available to the State of New Mexico to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the area affected by severe storms, flooding, and mudslides during the period of September 9-22, 2013.

The President's action makes federal funding available to state and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the severe storms, flooding, and mudslides in Catron, Chaves, Cibola, Colfax, Eddy, Guadalupe, Los Alamos, McKinley, Mora, Sandoval, San Miguel, Santa Fe, Sierra, Socorro, and Torrance counties.

Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.

Nancy M. Casper has been named as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area.  Casper said additional designations may be made at a later date if warranted by the results of damage assessments.

You might want to visit the FEMA Blog.

Twenty-two historically black colleges and universities to receive Toyota hybrid vehicles

Toyota Green Initiative Coalition members, actress Tatyana Ali, 2010 TGI Campus Contest Winner Stephen Graddick, SMB Essentials CEO Lake Louise, Earthseed Consulting co-founder Pandora Thomas, 2012 TGI Green Campus Winner Corban Bell, Earthseed Consulting co-founder Zakiya Harris and Black and Green author Jamal Ali, help announce the donation of twenty-two hybrid vehicles to HBCUs. (PRNewsFoto/Toyota)

2013-14 Toyota Green Initiative Tour helps select CIAA and SWAC schools improve campus environment

(PRN) TORRANCE, Calif., October. 29, 2013 Twenty-two select Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) and Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) schools will continue their commitment to sustainability with a one-year lease of a Toyota Prius liftback or Prius Plug-in vehicle.

Each school will receive a vehicle in conjunction with the 2013-14 Toyota Green Initiative (TGI) tour, an environmental stewardship program designed to empower the African American community. The tour travels to participating HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) each fall to educate students and alumni on the benefits of adopting a sustainable lifestyle.

Bomb squad investigating suspicious package found at UC campus

(UC BERKLEY) October 28, 2013 - A suspicious package was found this afternoon at Bancroft and Telegraph avenues, and is being investigated by the UCPD bomb squad. UC police are advising people to avoid the area until it can determine the contents.

Another package was discovered earlier in the day at Bancroft and Shattuck Avenue, and was determined not to be an explosive device by the Berkeley Police Department, according to a Berkeley city official.

Office of Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney responds to their boss’s arrest

Norfolk Commonwealths Attorney at his office during a interview by Melissa Troutman in 2009.
photo: brian callan

BMLTV) October 29, 2013 - The office of the Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney well understands the laws apply to all people equally. 

Currently there are 80 employees of this Office and each person works hard to insure the efficient, effective and ethical prosecution of the defendants and comprehensive representation of crime victims and witnesses. That diligent work continues uninterrupted following the arrest.

A Scary Pattern: Drinking increases when halloween falls closer to the weekend

The chainsaw man, Holloween 2011. photo: abhi ahmadadeen/BMLTV©

(PRN) DENVER, October 25, 2013 - Spirits may be responsible for mayhem this All Hallows' Eve, but they are likely to be of the manmade kind. Data on individuals monitored every 30 minutes for alcohol consumption shows drinking increases in general during Halloween, and that increase accelerates as the holiday falls closer to the weekend.

"The business case for racial equity" quantifies the cost of racism in the U.S.

(PRN/USN) BATTLE CREEK, Mich., October. 27, 2013  - Three days ago Altarum Institute and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation (WKKF) released a report detailing the economic impact of racism, and the benefits of advancing racial equity as the demography of our nation continues to evolve. As businesses, policy makers and thought leaders attempt to track, analyze and ultimately manage the impact of the U.S. shift from a white majority to a minority majority, the availability of data on the progress and pain points within health, education and crime and justice will be even more important.

  

BREAKING: Statement by Ernie Allen on the global effort to identify "Maria," the young child found living in the Roma Camp in Greece

Why her story has become so important

(PRN/USN) ALEXANDRIA, Va., October. 25, 2013  -  Ernie Allen, President and CEO of the International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children issues the following statement.

"The publicity surrounding the discovery of the little blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl called "Maria" in theRoma camp in Greece has brought hope to tens of thousands of parents around the world who have children that are still missing.  However, her story is about more than one child.  Little Maria has become a symbol of a larger problem – the well being of millions of children.

Maria was found resulting from the quick actions of law enforcement in Greece.  Her extraordinary story has prompted a worldwide effort to determine who she is, where her family is and whether she is an abducted or trafficked child.  Her story has awakened a global audience and she has millions of people anticipating the resolution of her mystery.  The search for her identity is providing hope for many others as thousands of searching parents of other missing children are hoping that their child might still be out there and recoverable.   

Israel and Saudi Arabia – alliance of interests

(BMLTV) October 25, 2013 - Recent remarks by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have fuelled renewed speculation of behind the scenes links between Israel and the Gulf monarchies.

Netanyahu, speaking at the UN, said that “The dangers of a nuclear-armed Iran and the emergence of other threats in our region have led many of our Arab neighbours to recognize, finally recognize, that Israel is not their enemy.”

Commodities Future Trading Commission will be forced to furlough personnel for as many as 14 days in 2014

(BMLTV) WASHINGTON, D.C. October 24, 2013 - Congresswoman Maxine Waters, Ranking Member of the House Financial Services Committee, today released the following statement in response to news that the Commodities Future Trading Commission will be forced to furlough personnel for as many as 14 days in 2014 because of cutbacks in funding due to the sequester:

“I’m deeply troubled, though not surprised, to learn that the Commodity Futures Trading Commission will need to furlough staff for as many as 14 days during fiscal year 2014 because of the across-the-board cuts known as sequestration, which has caused significant funding shortfalls. 

Shooting at National Guard Facility

(NNS) WASHINGTON, October 24, 2013 - A shooting occurred at approximately 12:47 (local time) today at a National Guard facility located near Naval Support Activity (NSA) Mid-South, Millington, Tenn. No fatalities were reported, but two National Guardsmen received non-life threatening injuries.

U.S. Navy and Millington Police Department personnel responded to the incident. The suspect, a National Guardsman, was taken into custody. The Naval Support Activity was briefly put on lockdown as a precaution, but has since lifted that restriction.

The U.S. Navy and U.S. Army are working with local law enforcement to investigate the incident. 

Women’s participation, leadership crucial to peace process

(PRN Africa)  NEW YORK, 24 October 2013  - The United Nations Security Council and senior UN officials on October 18, 2013,  issued a strong call on the international community to strengthen its commitment to ensuring that women play a more prominent role in conflict prevention, resolution and in post-war peacebuilding.

Unanimously adopting a new resolution, the Security Council reaffirmed that sustainable peace hinges on an approach that integrates “political, security, development, and human rights, including gender equality,” concerns and urged Member States and UN entities to ensure women's full and meaningful participation in peace and security issues, and committed to increase focus on their adequate access to justice in conflict and post-conflict settings.

Many Americans predict short-lived housing recovery, but don't care

(PRNewswire) BLOOMINGTON, Ill., October. 22, 2013 - The housing market has been touted as helping to drive the economic recovery, but Americans seem to feel that may be short-lived. According to the latestCOUNTRY Financial Security Index ® survey, nearly half (48 percent) say the country could be headed for another housing bubble in the next two years.

• Despite this pessimistic prediction for the housing market, it's not the top concern for many Americans.

• Forty-eight percent say that while they are concerned about the housing market, it is not one of their top national economic worries.
• One quarter say the housing market ranks among their top three concerns.
• Just 6 percent say it's their top concern.

Haiti questions the findings of Walk Free Foundation's report on child labor and human trafficking conditions

(PRNewswire) PORT AU PRINCE, Haiti, October. 21, 2013 - The government of Haiti questioned the findings of a recent report by the Walk Free Foundation on the alleged prevalence of "modern slavery" in Haiti.  As the first nation to free itself from slavery in 1804 and a supporter of several Latin American countries in their own fight for freedom, Haiti is a proud nation that is attempting to address the problems of child labor and human trafficking that have long plagued the country.

Such reports, however, incorrectly inflate the prevalence of child labor in Haiti and do an enormous disservice to our government's efforts to address the issue.  This report supposedly arrives at its conclusions by "multiplying the estimated proportion of the population enslaved in [Haiti] (derived from random sample surveys and secondary source estimates) by the current population."

Find out what are the hottest careers for college graduates

(PRN) LA JOLLA, Calif., October 21, 2013 - Bridging from college to career is not always easy, and this is especially true for recent college graduates. In an effort to provide guidance and information to assist with important decisions about career choices, University of California San Diego Extension has assembled the fifth annual edition of "Hot Careers for College Graduates." You can download a complete copy of the report at extension.ucsd.edu/specialreports.

UC San Diego Extension initiated the hot careers list to help new college graduates identify the most promising careers to bridge to desirable positions which can be easily attained with minimal extra preparation. This report notes up-to-date employment trends and projections.

Racketeers to face sentencing in the State of Florida

(BMLTV) TALLAHASSEE, Fla. October 22, 2013 - Attorney General Pam Bondi’s Office of Statewide Prosecution and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office  announced October 14, 2013,  that three Tampa men have been sentenced to 30 years in prison each for racketeering and conspiracy to commit racketeering. Luis Rodriguez-Gomez, David Marin-Monroy, and John Romero-Rodriguez were found guilty in August of committing 11 burglaries, all of which involved burglarizing homes of members of the Indian community.

“Thanks to a strong partnership with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, we were able to put these three criminals behind bars,” stated Attorney General Pam Bondi. “My Office of Statewide Prosecution will continue working to keep Florida’s communities safe.”

"Every individual in Hillsborough County and the State should be encouraged by this successful prosecution and know that Sheriff Gee stands with all law enforcement agencies to bring justice to those who victimize our citizens," stated Major Raymond Lawton, District Commander at the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.

The defendants were arrested for stealing possessions such as family heirlooms and jewelry brought to the United States from India. The burglaries took place in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Marion and Alachua Counties. 

DUPAGE COUNTY CHILD PORNOGRAPHY ARRESTS PUSH TOTAL TO 50 SINCE STATEWIDE CRACKDOWN BEGAN

(BMLTV) Chicago - Two arrests on child pornography charges following separate raids this week in DuPage County bring to 50 the total arrests since 2010 in Operation Glass House, Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s statewide initiative to apprehend the most active offenders who download and trade child pornography online.

“Our work, in partnership with local law enforcement, has resulted in identifying and arresting 50 offenders who have possessed and traded some of the vilest images imaginable,” Madigan said. “Online child pornography is a real and significant threat to children who are victimized each time an image is downloaded or traded.”

Steven Friesen, 45, of Villa Park, has been charged with 10 counts of possession of child pornography, a Class 2 felony punishable by three to seven years in the Illinois Department of Corrections. He is being held in the DuPage County Jail on $250,000 bond.

Madigan’s investigators, with the assistance of the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office, Villa Park Police and the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office, conducted a search of Friesen’s Michigan Ave. (Villa Park) townhouse Wednesday and found evidence of alleged child pornography.

“Apprehending sex offenders is a high priority for the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office and we are willing to assist any agency in accomplishing it,” DuPage County Sheriff John Zaruba said.

Brian Gondek, 54, of Elmhurst, has been charged with one count of possession of child pornography and also being held by DuPage County authorities on $200,000 bond. Gondek was arrested after Elmhurst Police and Madigan’s office’s investigators executed a search warrant at his apartment on Arlington Ave. in Elmhurst yesterday and found evidence of alleged child pornography.

“Elmhurst Police are committed to protecting all our residents, particularly our children, in the community and when they go online,” said Elmhurst Police Chief Michael Ruth.

DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin’s office will prosecute both cases.

“Every year, child pornography claims millions of victims one image at a time,” Berlin said. “I would like to thank Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s ICAC Task Force for their continued efforts in protecting our children from those who would do them harm.”

The public is reminded that the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

In 2010, the first year of Operation Glass House, Madigan’s investigations revealed a disturbing trend of offenders trading extremely violent videos of young children being raped. As a result, Operation Glass House has focused on apprehending offenders who are seen trading and watching extremely violent videos involving children, including infants and toddlers.

Madigan’s office, with a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice, runs the Illinois Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, which investigates child exploitation crimes and trains law enforcement agencies.

Since 2006, Madigan’s ICAC Task Force has been involved in 622 arrests of sexual predators. The Task Force has also provided Internet safety training and education to more than 302,000 parents, teachers and students and more than 16,000 law enforcement professionals. Currently, 186 agencies are affiliated with the Illinois ICAC.